


Taking Flight

by tbiris



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hunger Games Setting, Angst, Gen, Reincarnation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-12-02
Updated: 2013-12-27
Packaged: 2018-01-03 05:51:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,559
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1066676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tbiris/pseuds/tbiris
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Spoilers up to ch. 51. Hunger Games based.<br/>The titans have been eradicated, but the outside world isn't fit for habitation yet and those that know it are silenced. When revolt occurs the royal family introduces the Games, where each of the newly created Districts have to offer up two contestants, a boy and a girl to participate. The winner is permitted to live and their District gets a larger proportion of goods for the next year. The Games appear to be fair, until the year that the royal family decides that the rising revolt needs to be silenced by plucking the buds.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue: Clipped Wings

**Author's Note:**

> I saw a prompt floating around for Hunger Games AU but it ended up becoming canon-verse. First chapter is mostly set up and we'll see most of the gang next chapter. Updates WILL be slow while I edit and fill in scenes. No pairings yet, but may change.

_December 14, 870_

_The walls have never felt more foreboding than the return from the final expedition of the outside world. It didn’t reveal the beauty that we had thought to find, but the harsh reality that had created the titans. Before we returned, steps were been taken by various members of the Scouting Legion to attempt to bring the royal family to justice. Those of us returning have the responsibility to ensure the history over the last hundred years will make it to the future so that a version of the truth may exist. It’s entirely possible that our worries are unfounded and nothing will change over the time. It’s just as possible that the knowledge of what remains outside of the walls will never see the light of day. I truly hope that will never come to pass and that all of our precautions will be for nothing._

_There was a great amount of protest when the Legion once again left the Walls in order to truly free humanity, especially within the royal family. Our desire to set everyone free from the walls that had caged us for over a hundred years seemed like nothing to them. We freed ourselves and flew, but it was with sorrow that we realized that the walls would only to entrap us once again once we saw the recovering world. The Earth still requires more time to recover and I wonder what our ancestors must have done so that blood stains it even after over a hundred years. There were places of beauty. Viable areas that had forests teeming with life, and the songs of birds I never heard before were that resounded so loudly they were deafening. Then there were the areas that were still marred by humans, where no grass would grow in the blackened earth and blood stains were splattered across stretches of land. We all suppressed what we had explored of the world until the royal family has been brought to task. Humanity still has hope to return, but in order to prevent a reoccurrence we must see the records for how the world seems to have been reduced to ash instead of what they would have us believe._

_December 15, 870_

_Upon on our return, all of the titan shifters were taken into custody and I believe that the last we saw of them was shown by the creation of the dividers within the walls. My heart is only lightened by the fact that our families have been in hiding since we left and remain so. I’m not certain if it’s possible to thank our supporters enough for protecting them from any backlashes while we prepared for the long expedition._

_We surmised that the walls dividing each section between the Walls must have been made through a different process than the initial three. We had five known shifters in our, yet eight walls were erected. The only other possibility is that there were further shifters that the higher ranks hid from the Scouting Legion in its time of need. These dividing walls further split the area between Wall Maria and Wall Rose into what they’re calling Districts Five, Six, Seven and Eight. The sectioned areas between Wall Rose and Wall Sina carry the numbers One through Four._

_All higher ranks across the three divisions have been summoned into Sina tomorrow. Many of us worry that there will be no return from this meeting. While these words are unlikely to survive if I should die tomorrow, I can leave stories that may be told in the future by our old friends that survive this purging. It’s our hope that our story will continue through the ages when our names have been forgotten. We wish to give others the truth that we were denied for so long, even if it appears to be merely a child’s tale of monsters. Dearest friends, if this diary should survive and you’re reading this, we can never thank you enough for all you’ve done for us._

**December 16, 870**

She clenched the letter within her hands, before holding it over the open flames. It had arrived in the city only a few days before the Scouting Legion returned and had only made it to her hands that day. She knew that Armin’s house was bound to be in flames soon, for the crime of being a traitor to the crown. If she was found to have any correspondence with him she could possibly meet the same fate. He had to know that it was beyond risky sending her this storybook. Only, she could also understand his pleas. She would do this one thing for the child that had saved them all back when Trost fell and left behind the last remnants of his family to her. She looked towards Sina, even though the Wall wasn’t visible from the comfort of her room. Their bodies were hanging over the Wall now, a warning to those that would speak of the outside world. His friends were beside him, including the older bodies of the shifters. She glanced over at the young boy sleeping beside her, who would never know his mother or father. At least she, and by extension Armin’s son, were safe from the military’s extreme questioning for now. She had been free of her duties and resigned when she had last seen Eren Jägar’s triumphant grin when they came prancing back through Karanese. The Walls no longer needed guarding, and her parents’ bookstore had needed a new owner. In the end, Armin couldn’t have picked a better person for his story, since she had the perfect place to hide the book that could change the future.

_October 10, 870_

_Dear Rico,_

_I wish the circumstances didn’t require me to ask further favours of you when you’ve already done so much. We currently believe that the Scouting Legion will be silencing permanently after our return. Should my colleagues and I be killed you are my last resort. Otherwise, I will return in a few days to collect the packages. If you’re under any surveillance I must plead with you to give this letter and it’s attachment to another that you would implicitly trust. In some cases that may be the best scenario so that it may be harder to trace back. The outside world will once again become a dream, the truth hidden behind lies and fabrications. I’ve sent you a version of events that spans the last twenty-five years. You may read it if you desire and it should pass the censor checks that may come to pass._

_It’s our request this story will survive regardless of the price. That you will take this burden and only pass it on to someone you deem worthy of our trust. It’s our hope that when the time is right the truth it hides will once again be sent into the world. You’re the only one left I felt I could entrust this to. I can only hope that this proves unnecessary and I will be able to return. I wish that the past will never have to be told in this fashion and that Daniel will be able to finally meet his parents._

_We offer you our hearts and humanity’s future,_

_Armin Arlert_.

**March 897**

A regime of terror settled through the Walls before the first group of the Wings of Freedom began their revolt. It seemed like there had been a fair number of the Scouting Legion and Garrison that had hid underground for years. They deemed the time was right and humanity was suffering before emerging from the earth. Contrary to what the records would say, they came out slowly at first and had begun approaching the few officers that were safe or daring enough to live above ground. That had occurred several weeks ago. She had never been happier to look older than her age. She had managed to bypass their recruiting completely, even as the Military Police had overlooked her in the first back in 870. She suspected that certain friends in high places had misplaced her enlistment papers before their final excursion.

It had probably helped that she had resigned long before the final expedition. The military police had come by the bookstore very frequently at first and critically observing the titles and contents of all the books. She had kept Armin’s package was still carefully wrapped to protect it from the damp and fire and hidden in her old boxes of clothes. It seemed that even after all these years the Military Police were still incapable of doing a thorough job. She didn’t want to risk something so precious out in the store, not when there were still those that remembered the horror of what had once been beyond the Walls and the stories were still alive. It would be better for now to keep the storybook within her family, while the mention of titans and those that fought them were still being hunted by those in power.

A brief smile crossed her face as she leaned on the counter, remembering the look of joy on her son’s face when he had told her his wife was now expecting. There would be plenty of family for her to tell the story to. Daniel had learned to be discrete very early on, probably taking after his father in that degree. She suspected that he had found the book at some point already and read it. There had been a day where the box had been moved after all. She sighed as she thought about her expanding family. The only drawback right now was that his wife was a strong supporter of the government. As a result she shouldn’t to give Daniel the physical copy of his father’s story, but had to find someone else she would trust with it. Perhaps Jägar’s son would take it. She would have to meet up with the boy some time and Kitts would know what his old charge was doing. After all, she was doing the same thing with Daniel.

A gunshot drew her out of her thoughts and back to the revolution and flames beyond her door. She could hear the screams as freedom was once again being ripped away along with the wings that had once been so proudly worn. The screams that were all too familiar, and stirred the primal fear that she had thought had been purged from her psyche. Yet that night it existed and it was called forth once again by humans. It seemed that the war would never end.

She didn’t expect the royal family to begin the first set of Games with their abdication, bringing a new branch of the family into power. These so called Games where a boy and girl would be chosen from each of the eight Districts.  Each District would now have a specific specialization that they would be responsible for to supply Sina. Those products would then be redistributed to each District. The winners of each Game would get a slightly larger proportion of the distribution of goods. The majority seemed to agree with these specifications and the abdication mollified the feelings left after the Rebellion. However, she could feel a familiar chill growing that was all too similar to facing the titans. Her instincts were screaming at her that this was just a ruse, but there was nowhere to run. Her fear was realized that first year when they all realized what these Games would entail. They had to watch the children being called up and forced to watch the children kill each other. It was a new kind of terror, and it smothered any remaining sparks of resistance. The rules only became harsher and soon each District became isolated from the others. To make matters worse, those among the older population that spoke of the titans or the outside world were heavily prosecuted. Many of her friends went into cells and never returned.

It was twelve years later, the night after her first grandchild was called into the Games that she first opened Armin’s package and read the story he left behind for them. Her gnarled hands brushed over the dedication, a custom from ancient times, or so she had heard. Armin must have read his fair share of books to include one and know its appropriate placement. Tears fell as she stared at the words that he left there in a delicate hand, words that she had promised to carry on no matter what she had to do. Words she would now begin to set free, that would become humanity’s last hope.

_To you, in the future._


	2. District Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the year 1000. Armin and Eren are facing their first Reaping, when Armin receives a book and begins to have suspicions about some of the Districts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The result of losing an entire day of studying due to someone's brilliant idea to have internet installations during the first week of exams. Bravo.
> 
> Hope you enjoy! I am tracking the tag fic: Taking Flight on tumblr so feel free to ask any questions and such!

Year 1000

Eren drew in a deep breath of what- he considered- fresh unfiltered air only to cough out all the mortar dust he inhaled. The dust drifted all around District Seven, courtesy of the masonry specialty they were given over a hundred years ago. Armin laughed at him through his dust mask only to begin coughing when he couldn’t draw in enough air. Mikasa rolled her eyes at them before pounding them both on the back in an effort to help the two boys breathe. Instead she sent them sprawling onto the ground into a helpless heap of laughter. It took only a few moments before she joined in. They would all need more laughter today. It was better than dwelling on what they would have to face today. The first Reaping was always hardest, even if they didn’t have anything to worry about. Their contestants were trained from a young age, mostly in hand to hand combat. Their District kept the volunteering relatively simple compared to others. Every year, two boys and girls that showed the most potential at age 6 were chosen to be trained. There had been a few instances of early deaths or one of them wouldn’t be able to keep up so there was always a secondary contestant. When they turned 18, the primary contestant would volunteer for the Games, although fellow Careers above the age of sixteen usually went in anyways if their training was considered complete. That was just another reason to have two Careers in each age group. They hadn’t had a year yet where there wasn’t a Career volunteering for the tribute. It wasn’t a subject they would talk about much though, since it directly affected Mikasa. Her trainers had officially declared she was finished training this year. She still practiced with the other Careers, but held the youngest age for completing her training at age fourteen. She still had four years before she’d be volunteering, but this was her first Reaping where she might have to enter the Games. The difference was that Eren and Armin would always be safe from the Games, but she would have to actually enter the arena.

“I want to tell you guys a story before we have to go to the square,” Armin said, finally catching his breath. He stood, brushing off his clothes as he got up. The dust stuck to everything and it was an effort to avoid rock solid clothing doing laundry. Eren got up quickly at the mention of ‘story’, his dust mask going back on.

They had all met because of Armin and his story-telling, or rather because of those that took issue with it. His audience for stories in public were mostly the younger children. They told vivid depictions of angels, fairies and dragons and their adventures. Lately he’d been describing what other Districts might look like in a hushed voice, leading to more than a few problems that Eren and Mikasa had to deal with. Knowledge of the world outside the Walls was strictly forbidden. In comparison, the knowledge of other Districts’ lifestyles was only supressed and highly frowned upon. It was the difference between the Military Police making your life a living hell instead of just killing you. It wouldn’t help that Eren and Mikasa both knew that Armin wouldn’t fight back, he never did. Eren had first met Armin the first time a story had provoked a member of his audience. He acted quickly, jumping to Armin’s defense and the fight had ended just as fast, the same couldn’t be said for the future fights. He had quickly earned the joking title of ‘Armin’s bodyguard’, even if they both ended up beaten black and blue in the end. Some of those days they would go to Eren’s father to get broken bones set or large wounds stitched without a word from the older man.

It wasn’t until Mikasa found their hidden fort- well Armin’s hidden fort- that the fights stopped all together. She had been doing survival training and found their hideaway in a thicket of trees. That was their current destination. It was the only space they felt somewhat safe for the more controversial of Armin’s tales. They had heard him describe the other Districts so vividly to them that they could almost feel the grass beneath their feet and hear the sounds around them. It had taken a fair amount of badgering for him to explain where the information was from and that it would be mostly out-dated. His parents owned a bookstore, where he had discovered some old books describing the layout of the cities before the secondary walls had been built. He would some read passages from them, sometimes it was just harvest reports and other times it might be weather. Armin was able to paint his vivid pictures not from just one document, but what they meant as a whole. They had a little project going on where they’d sort a box into its corresponding year. It meant that they could barely walk in the hidden fort, but that all the information there would be accurate within that timeframe. Whenever they got tired, or if they found a letter, Armin would go through the pile and draw the words into life.

They were attentive as they approached the thicket, splitting up before entering the forest so that they didn’t look odd as a group. Armin had been the first to arrive this time, with Eren and Mikasa coming in through the windows at the same time. They were surprised by what Armin had chosen to read this time. He had placed a thinner, well wrapped package in front of him while he waited, portions of its wrapping appeared to be smeared with soot. When he saw them, a slightly sheepish smile came across his face.

“My parents wanted to give me this early.” His hand caressed the bound book. Mikasa and Eren glanced at each other, most of Armin’s books were well taken care of, but the material that protected that particular book looked fairly old, yet in good shape for having been in a fire. Material like that would sell for a lot, for it to still be around the book was surprising. “They told me that old Zacklay wanted me to have it and they thought it might be time.” He grinned at them. “I wanted to share it with you two. I took a quick look inside it and I think it’s from before the Districts.” Eren and Mikasa made odd sounds in their throats.

“I thought that most of those books were burned!” Eren whispered frantically. Armin shook his head slightly, as he slowly unwrapped the book. They could tell that it was old, probably over a hundred years, yet it also seemed in oddly good condition for it to be from before the Rebellion.

“They said that old Zacklay left care instructions in it as well. They told me that it’s been maintained so it could always be read by those in the future and that I should take good care of it,” Armin’s voice trailed off as he opened the cover, tracing words on the first page. “There’s a note here,” he murmured, somewhat startled. “To you, in the future.” Eren and Mikasa leaned forward as Armin delicately turned the first page. He smiled and laid it flat, revealing a display of colours across the page with steady hand writing along the bottom. “It’s a fairy tale,” he whispered, tracing over a carefully painted bird in the tree.

“Why would you have to take such good care of a _fairy tale_?” Eren commented, but still scuttled over to sit by Armin and peer over his shoulder. Some stories were better when they could watch Armin’s face and reactions; the boy was a very dynamic storyteller. However, if it was a picture book it was better to be reading along. Armin shook his head at Eren’s question.

 “There must be a good reason for it,” he murmured. He began to lightly trace the words as he began to read. “Long ago, there were monsters and humans that roamed the world. The humans didn’t realize the existence of the monsters until they began to fight each other, and then the monsters’ true nature awoke. They began to devour all the humans and the humans quickly realized that they were too hard to kill.” Armin flipped the page and his heart stilled for a moment as he traced the picture. It was familiar for some reason, but he filed it away for later when Eren nudged him subtly. “The humans decided to choose a city to protect and they placed three magical barriers around it to keep them safe. Within these walls, they were safe for over a hundred years, but it wouldn’t last. Just when they thought that they would be safe behind the barriers forever, two special monsters broke the first barrier and disappeared. The monsters began to invade the first area of the city. Panic spread among the city and they ran to the second barrier, hoping to escape them until the magicians could fix it. By the time the magicians heard about the breach, it was too late. They told the inhabitants they couldn’t save the third barrier unless they had direct access to it and the monsters had already invaded one of the key points to reviving the barrier. The humans all retreated into the second barrier, hoping they would be safe. The area within the second barrier couldn’t hold everyone that was fleeing the monsters, so the guards only let a few people in, those that were given permission including one small and special boy. ” They all paused to look at the figure of the boy, before glancing at Eren. The quality was rough, but the similarities were a little frightening. He turned the next page, resisting the urge to cover the Eren-like figure with his hands. “The boy swore as he entered and others were spurned that he would put an end to all of the monsters once and for all. His family was rich and tried to dissuade him, but he joined the magicians anyways and his father cursed him. The boy didn’t remember the curse until the barrier was attacked again. The magicians managed to hold it together, but they were unable to heal it as a result. The monsters began to eat them one by one, starting with the boy and the barrier began to falter. What no one expected-“ Armin’s voice trailed off and the three of them stared at the image in wonder. There was an entire page dedicated to the drawing of just what the boy had turned into. Armin’s voice went dry and he turned the page, not finishing the description of what happened while the monsters continued their rampage.

 The story continued to tell about how the monster was able to change back into the young boy that he was, and how his friends saved him from the other magicians until he could explain what happened. He was given one last chance to prove that he was of use to humanity, and to use his monster power to seal the barrier. He managed it, although the barrier in that area was odd, and the magicians suspected that the soldiers would no longer be able to exit from that city.

Although he had helped and the second barrier would have fallen without him, there were still those that decided that he should die for humanity’s safety. They insisted that humanity shouldn’t allow a monster walk among them while wearing a human’s face.

“He cried out to his friends and family ‘I’m a human!” even as the magicians prepared to kill him. This time, it wasn’t only his friends that tried to save him. Two brave soldiers suggested he would be useful to their efforts in fixing the first barrier, if only the magicians would allow his transfer to the army. The magicians relented, provided that the soldiers would have one test run beyond the barrier and if he didn’t prove his worth, he would return to face his judgement.”

The three of them tried to ignore how some of the pictures looked similar to people that they already knew. The monster-boy’s friends looked oddly like Armin and Mikasa, and the eldest magician looked a bit like old Zacklay. Armin traced the odd gear the soldiers and magicians seemed to be wearing, and wondered what it was there for.

“Probably to fight the larger monsters,” Mikasa murmured, her finger hovering around the bands on their legs. “Lets them get up higher with those hooks.” The opposite page had a picture of a wire and the Mikasa look alike in front of one of the giant monsters, holding two swords. Armin nodded before turning the page to continue the story.

It continued through a tale of heartbreak as a large amount of soldiers were lost to an intelligent monster beyond the barrier. It was only through the boy monster’s efforts that it was defeated, although it had injured him to the point the mission had to end, and they all expected the worst outcome on their return.

“They had their first opportunity to see the outside world, but it was only the end of their first trial.” Armin’s voice took on a tone of wonderment; it was the dream of most of the Districts. That they could see the outside world, when the Crown decided they could survive beyond the Walls.  Eren shoved him lightly, his voice slightly hoarse.

“We’re going to have to go soon, how does it all end?” Armin would normally protest his friend’s desire to read the ending, but he felt more vulnerable today. If he ended up in the Games somehow, he would want to know the ending. He obliged and carefully closed the book, reopening it to the back page. His mind vaguely noticed something odd about the texture of the back cover as he flipped to see the page. He could feel his voice slowly closing up as he began the ending. “The soldiers decided to let the boy go free now that the monsters were all gone, so that he could live and explore the outside world he so loved. The king’s magicians sent their reply with blood. All of the soldiers supporting him were decimated and those remaining were punished. The final words of Humanity’s Hope and Saviour weren’t born from the anger that he had held within him since the fall of the barrier, but the despair and hope he had felt at the trial ‘It was for the future. So that our children could be free of the cages we built.’” Armin stared at the last page of the book, silent tears running down his face. The three of them simply sat there staring at the last drawing smeared with blood, with Armin slowly tracing the odd texture on the inside back cover. He took the opportunity to investigate it, slowly realizing it was a faded design. Except it was odd that a design on the leather would be so faded when the rest of the book was in such good condition. There was some secret there that he was just missing, but they were running out of time. Eren and Mikasa were equally drawn into the last page, but for completely different reasons.

“For you, in the future,” she repeated. Her fingers toyed at the end of her sleeves. “Do you think?” Eren blinked at her, slightly puzzled as he came down from the euphoria and shock that Armin’s voice induced. Armin realized what she meant in a moment, and had a strong feeling what was imprinted on the book, but it wasn’t the right time. They couldn’t think about this yet, not when they could get into trouble. They could check it out together tomorrow, when the District wasn’t going to be filled with Military Police.

“Don’t,” Armin said harshly, closing the book and wrapping it back up hastily, with some care that the book was covered. “Not today.” Mikasa nodded glumly, staring at Armin as he went over to the pile of books. It was placed carefully in the middle of a stack of fairy tales, hiding in a forest. The story had so enraptured them that they spent a moment just breathing, to ground themselves back into the reality they had to face.

“We should go now,” Eren rasped. He looked out the window and motioned to Mikasa. Mikasa would go down first and clear the area while Armin went down and Eren would follow in case trouble came back. They hadn’t had any issues before and their hideout was still hidden to their knowledge, but Military Police in high concentrations were more than enough reason to take the extra care.

They gathered back at the bottom and clasped each other’s hands for a moment, silently wishing each other luck as they went home to prepare for what the future might bring.

 


	3. The Day of the Reaping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren felt like time began to move slowly. Armin was shaking slightly and offered him a small smile that quivered before walking to the stage. Eren could barely feel his own tremors, barely able to hear anything but the repetition of his mother’s voice from earlier, reminding him that they were reliant on the volunteers. That even if there were consequences, he would still be stuck in the Games.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know if you find any errors. The first two have been edited since I found a few. Let me know if you find errors there too. Things start to get fun.

“Welcome home,” the familiar voice greeted Eren as he closed the door behind him. He scowled lightly at seeing his mother in the kitchen, her health had taken a turn for the worse in recent years, and he could only vaguely remember when her skin almost glowed. She was much paler now with a sicklier cast, he didn’t want to think about what would happen if they unable to afford medicine.

 Only the Sina medication could even take the edge off and restore some of the health she had lost. It had created some issues with their finances, but he would fight tooth and nail for their lifestyle. Eren was proud of his father for his blind eye to financial status. He would treat even those that couldn’t afford normal doctors and he would bring Eren along on some of his house calls. When his father first suggested stopping those visits in order to save money, he had responded by signing up for extra entries for the Games after his birthday.

 He glanced up at his mother as he took off his boots at the door, remembering the scolding his friends and family had smothered him with when he brought home the extra grain. He could remember the emotions hidden behind all their words now, although he hadn’t paid much attention to it then; the slight pride and relief in his father’s face along with Mikasa and Armin’s determination. He really should have known what would happen afterwards; it reminded him constantly that he really didn’t deserve such devoted friends.

 “How are you feeling today mom?” he asked, grimacing when he realized what words just came out of his mouth. She eyed him for a moment, making him fidget even more. She had made it very clear a few months ago just how she felt about that question, but it didn’t stop it from slipping out of his mouth every now and then. He relaxed when her face softened and she smiled and reached a hand out to him.

 “I’m more worried about my boy’s face.” Her hand came over and lightly pinched his cheek before rubbing away some dust that had collected there. He flushed and knocked away her hand lightly.

 “Geez mom, it’s not like we really have to worry. I’m not going to be on the screen long if at all.” Her face fell as she sighed and returned to the kitchen, Eren following after her.

 “You’re putting a lot of faith in the system, when all it would take is for someone to not volunteer,” she murmured as she stirred a large pot.

 “Then they’d be in trouble for not volunteering,” Eren laughed.

 “It wouldn’t matter Eren!” Her voice snapped across his senses. “Because you would still be going into the Games!” He caught the sight of tears in her eyes and he hugged her middle, feeling the familiar sense of remorse at making his mother worry.

 “I’m sorry,” he muttered. He hated to see her cry, it reminded him too much of how much strength she had lost over the last year. “What are you making?” he asked in an attempt to change the subject. He leaned around so he could see the kitchen easier; now that he was closer it smelt so nice. She gave a weak laugh and motioned him over to the cutting board. He glanced at the ingredients and the pot, trying to piece together what type of meal she was preparing.

 “Dice, and if you can’t guess then you’ll just get to see at supper.” He smiled at the small glint that had come over her face. He got the stool and placed it against the counter, it was more comfortable to cut vegetables if he was standing on the stool, he wasn’t quite tall enough yet to be comfortable cutting the vegetables up on the counter, but he was tall enough to wash his hands in the sink with only a little trouble. He began to categorize the items that were out and tried to figure out what she was making. She pointed to the three bowls she had placed on the counter. “Closest ones are onions and the vegetables that take longer.”

 “Longer for what?” he asked, hoping to get some clue as to dinner, but only got a laugh.

 “Doesn’t matter does it?” She was right as well, there were only a few types of vegetables out and they were all easily sorted by cooking time regardless of what was cooking. He grumbled a little, but started with the onions, his eyes tearing up in record time and he kept wiping them on his shirt. He could tell that his mother kept checking on his progress from the corner of her eye while she tended to the pot, tasting it occasionally and adding in different herbs. He had just finished the onion when she interrupted his work.

 “When you’re done with the one bowl go get changed.”

 “But-“

 “Your father left something out for you.”

 “Mom-“

 “I can cook a simple meal without you two hovering over me Eren. You’ll get changed and go meet up with Mikasa and Armin after changing. You will _not_ get your clothes dirty.” He sighed and nodded. She was in her mothering mode, and only his father could get her to at least rest when she got in one of those lately. He just stood there, steadily chopping while his mother sang a song over the pot she was stirring. It was a slightly fast tune too and he scowled slightly when he noticed that he ended up chopping faster than he wanted to. She had probably done it on purpose, but he couldn’t really fault her either. She probably wanted him to hang out with Armin and Mikasa before they all went to their first shot to be killed for the fun of the Inner Wallists. He rolled his eyes at his slightly morbid thought, but smiled when he caught her smile at his action. It felt like no time had passed before the hard veggies were all cut and dumped into whatever mixture she had been stirring. “Now go wash and get changed.” He sighed as he headed upstairs towards his room.

 Laid out on his bed was a clean, pure white shirt as well as some dark green pants. He almost wanted to just reach out and touch the shirt, but was afraid that he would get it dirty and mar it. His hand hovered over it for a moment still, wondering how his father had kept the shirt clean for so long among the dust before he moved over to the bowl of water and washcloth in his room. He paid more attention to scrubbing off some of the dust that collected on his arms, not wanting the shirt to get too dirty. The better a job he did, the less likely that his mom would insist on actually helping him clean up before he left.

 Just as he finished washing, a knock sounded at the door and he could hear his mother’s voice just barely through the walls. He barrelled down as he heard the other voice, recognizing it as Mikasa. His mother sighed as she saw him and all he could see for a while was her chest and the occasional flash of Mikasa’s black hair. He could see her trembling as she tried to hold in her laughter while his mother was rebuttoning his shirt. It seemed that in his rush he had missed a button halfway up, resulting in an odd effect on the shirt. He gave his mother a half smile as she cupped his cheek before returning to the kitchen area.

 He finally got a good look at Mikasa. He had seen her in nice clothes before, everyone dressed up nicely for the Reaping. She was wearing a navy blue skirt that seemed to swish along her legs, with a pale cream top hugging her body that was offset with the old scarf he had given her. It was the only piece that didn’t seem to quite fit. He glanced at it and she ducked behind it.

 “It was cold out,” he heard the muffled voice. “Snow later too probably.” The Games took place on the turning of the seasons and had its own temperamental weather lately. Eren shrugged, although he did grab his jacket as they left. He half heard his mother commenting about Armin’s grandfather and accepted the package that she gave him to pass on. Mikasa seemed more jumpy this year as they walked by the many Military Police squads on the way to Armin’s house. He opened his mouth to ask what was bothering her, but something about the smile she shot him had him closing his mouth again until they were knocking on Armin’s door.

 “Come in!” Armin’s voice called. The door swung open, filling their noses with the musty smell of books as they entered and closed the door behind them. Armin appeared at the top of the stairs, the living area was above their shop. His hair was slightly damp and tousled, suggesting he had just washed as well. “I’ll be down in a bit!” Eren nodded and Mikasa just tucked her face back into her scarf. He wandered around the bookshelves, if Armin was upstairs it was most likely that his grandfather was watching the shop. He found him at the back of the store, his glasses on and nose deep in a book, his eyes glancing up as Eren drew closer.

 Eren stopped in front of the older man and gave a small smile as he held out the container. The smile was returned as Armin’s grandfather accepted the medicine and put the book down.

 “Your mother has a knack for knowing when I’m about to run out.” He had heard other people describe Old Arlert’s voice as scratchy gravel, but he heard the steadiness of the earth under their feet. It felt steady and certain compared to Armin’s voice which was like fairies dancing on the wind, catching your attention before flitting away and drawing you with them. His grandfather was just as good of a storyteller but commanded attention in a different way. Eren could listen to both of them talking all day long, like the wind whistling along the mountains he’d only heard about.

 “I think she appreciates Armin keeping me more out of trouble lately,” he commented. Before the two had met, Eren had been in a fist fight every other week but when he met Armin they had increased before decreasing to about once a month. His mother seemed to think that Armin was a good influence and insisted on helping out their not-quite neighbours.

 Arlert laughed. “That’s my boy, although you two manage to keep him out of his own type of trouble don’t you?” His eyes glinted and Eren was suddenly almost certain that he knew about the tree house and what they were learning in there. He almost scuffed a foot against the floor until he remembered he was in his nice clothes and shouldn’t get them dirty.

 “We try,” he muttered to his feet. He felt a hand clasp his shoulder and found that he was looking into the bright blue eyes that seemed to continue down Armin’s family.

 “Just don’t let him go too deep into the water.” He felt like it was a warning, but their attention was drawn away as Armin pounded down the stairs, almost crashing into Mikasa. Eren gave Armin’s grandfather a quick smile as he went back to his friends.

 “I’ll try! Remember the instructions for use!” The old man gave them a kindly wave, a hint of sorrow in his eyes that had Eren wondering what else was hidden in the old bookstore. The feeling left quickly as Mikasa threaded her arms through one of his and Armin’s arms.

 “First time for everything,” she murmured, sounding a little downcast. Eren could feel his heart sink a little and he scowled at her.

 “Come on Mikasa you kick everyone’s asses. Even if you get called in we’ll be here when you get home.”

 “We’ll be supporting you the entire time,” Armin added with a little glint showing in his eyes. “Who else besides us can keep Eren out of trouble?”

“Hey! I kept you out of trouble first!” Eren protested. Mikasa laughed at both of them and they felt more relieved to see a smile back on her face as she squeezed their arms a little harder.

 “Thanks, let’s go sign in and scare everyone with our enthusiasm.” Eren stared at Mikasa’s flat delivery, not believing the words that came out of her mouth and was about to say something until he caught the slight shaking of Armin’s head and caught his tongue before the words came out.

 A thick silence covered them like fog rolling in as they signed in. Mikasa waited while the two boys pressed their fingers to the paper, leaving an imprint beside each of their names. After Mikasa finished her sign in, they all clasped hands for a moment again, letting the tension flow between them and dissipate. They all relaxed just a little bit before they split without a word to the side with their respective gender.

 It was still early enough that not many children had signed in, spending more time with their family and friends. The twelve-year olds had all mostly signed in already though, nerves bringing them here earlier than most. Armin and Eren ended up standing by a group they weren’t too familiar with at the back. A few familiar faces near the front caught their eye and waved.

 The time seemed to just tick by, the fog growing ever thicker across all the children as more rolled in, segregated by age and gender. Eren was rather glad that Mikasa had dragged her feet, but also respected his and Armin’s edginess. If they had been here as long as some of the others then the tension would be crippling.

 The fog cleared as they were boxed in by the Military Police and the mayor came out as well as the Sina representative for their District. The dust that flowed so freely around their feet didn’t aid Kitts Verman’s complexion over the last five years.

 Eren had been to the Reaping in the last two years, mostly to support Mikasa. The mayor’s speech hadn’t changed too much, nor the video shown on one of the few large screens in the District.

 It told the story of the Wings of Freedom and how they rose from the ground to slay their benefactors, breaking their oaths to the Crown. After it was supressed the royal family was lenient and recognized their flaws and in apology for those families destroyed by the Rebellion they stepped down. The new branch of the family recognized the issues of the Rebellion and instigated the Districts to ensure a quota of necessary goods and services were provided. They also saw that a surplus would exist and created the Games to decide which District should receive the extra goods each year. Every District had to participate and would be permitted to see the glory of Sina before their entrance, and those that won would be able to return every year with their contestants.

 Kitts came forward as the video ended and began his usual speech about how they were all blessed to be protected from the world by the Walls around them. They should be thankful for Sina providing them with the opportunity to receive the extras, rather than surplus going back to the Crown. Eren glanced over at Armin, getting bored rather quickly with the same speech. Armin seemed to find the cadence fascinating, or the situation, he couldn’t be quite sure. His attention was drawn back to Kitts as he hit the usual pause in his speeches that preceded the draws. He wasn’t disappointed.

 “Now for the draws! Who shall be our contestants for the year? Beginning with the ladies.” Eren and Armin both glanced at Mikasa, an odd feeling of apprehension rolling over their skin. “Mikasa Ackerman.” Kitts called out. Eren and Armin both sucked in a gasp as Mikasa reeled slightly before she headed to the stage, her steps somewhat wooden. “Before we welcome our contestant, are there any volunteers?” Eren wanted to close his eyes, he knew no one would step up for Mikasa, and this was her first year where she would have to actually compete. “Very well! Now for the boys.” Eren stared at the bowl, willing that their names wouldn’t be drawn, but luck wasn’t on their side. “Armin Arlert!” Eren felt like time began to move slowly. Armin was shaking slightly and offered him a small smile that quivered before walking to the stage. Eren could barely feel his own tremors, barely able to hear anything but the repetition of his mother’s voice from earlier, reminding him that they were reliant on the volunteers. That even if there were consequences, he would still be stuck in the Games. He looked back at Bertholdt, a feeling of dread slowly settling in his stomach. He was the Career that was supposed to volunteer this year, but he seemed to be extremely uncomfortable and keeping his eyes downcast, and Eren understood why when he didn’t look up at the call for volunteers. His breath locked up in his chest, Armin, with his brilliant stories and his knowledge of the outside was going to be stuck in the Games. The brightness he brought to everyone in the District with his stories. The way that he could make someone laugh when they’d had a bad day. Even that story with the wings he had told the crowds today. They couldn’t lose the vivacity he brought the District, then they would lose the stories that Armin hid away and life would turn to the dust they made mortar out of. No, he wouldn’t let them take Armin away from them all. If Bertholdt wasn’t going to do anything about it then he would. As Kitts opened his mouth to move on, with Armin shaking in terror he yelled out.

 “I VOLUNTEER.” There was a stunned silence as everyone turned to look at him. Some of them had been gesturing towards the eighteen year olds, wondering what was going on. The gestures stopped and froze at his cry. He shook and started to walk to the stage, while the crowd was stunned into silence. Another twelve year old volunteering for someone in the same age group was unheard of. He heard a startled gasp that sounded like his mother that broke the quiet.

 “Eren!” He gulped as he walked closer to the stage, he could see his father talking to her quickly, holding her back. As he drew closer he could almost swear he saw annoyance flit across Kitts’ face.

 “It seems we have a volunteer.” Armin scurried down, his face panicked and it looked like he wanted to yell at Eren for what he was doing, but couldn’t find his tongue to even say words as tears flowed down his face.

 “Later,” Eren found himself saying as he helped Armin down from the stage. Thomas, his building partner in class and the Career in their age group, helped him up the stage, looking both grateful and worried at Eren.

 “Now what’s your name?” Eren swallowed, trying to find his tongue. It had worked just minutes ago; he should be able to get the words out.

 “Eren Jägar.” He stared at Bertholdt, but the older boy wouldn’t meet his eyes. He felt a deep anger welling up inside him. Everyone gave something to the Careers so that children could actually live a life devoid of the fear in some of the other Districts, and he had just spat at it. His fist clenched at what had almost happened. He had almost no chance, no chance at all if Mikasa actually went at him seriously. He would try his hardest though just so he could kick Bertholdt’s ass when he got back.

 “Well then shake hands!” He felt wooden as he shook hands with Mikasa, her own eyes filled with despair as well. The Careers didn’t make friends with each other because they might have to kill them later, and he had put her in a position where if she wanted to win she would have to kill one of her few friends. “Applause for your contestants this year! Mikasa Ackerman and Eren Jägar!” There was silence across the crowd. It wasn’t clear whether it was Bertholdt or Armin that began the gesture first. They snapped to attention, their right fist curling above their hearts. Eren found his voice catching again, it was an old salute, one that had been used by the army and discontinued after the Rebellion. Its original meaning had been mostly lost, the last part of it blacked out of every text. _We offer our hearts_. Eren hadn’t intended to cry, his anger at Bertholdt, for the system was still burning but he could feel tears pouring down his cheeks, and a quick glance over showed Mikasa was doing the same as the entire District saluted them. They were ushered through the doors of the town hall, into separate rooms to say goodbye and he wasn’t even sure where to start. Except with an apology to his mother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next two chapters will be a little faster since they're mostly written, but need severe editing. Following the tag fic: taking flight on tumblr

**Author's Note:**

> Please feel free to drop me a comment either here or on my tumblr (same username). Next chapter probably won't be out until late December unless I get tired of studying.


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